John Cronin emerges as Democratic challenger to state Sen. Dean Tran

Thursday

May 7, 2020 at 4:30 PMMay 11, 2020 at 9:34 AM

LUNENBURG — John J. Cronin is officially the sole Democrat on the state Senate primary ballot for the 11 cities and towns in the Worcester and Middlesex District. In the November general election, Cronin will face Sen. Dean Tran, R-Fitchburg.

Cronin, 30, was born in Leominster and raised in Fitchburg and Lunenburg. After high school, he worked as a janitor at the Worcester County House of Correction before receiving a congressional nomination to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Cronin graduated from West Point in 2013 and commissioned as an infantry officer.

During his first tour of duty, Cronin led a rifle platoon in Afghanistan. He later returned to Afghanistan as the second-in-command for the same 150-soldier infantry company. After being honorably discharged from the Army as a captain, Cronin worked at the Harvard Law School Legal Services Center providing legal advocacy to indigent veterans. Currently, he is completing his juris doctor at Suffolk Law in the evening while campaigning full-time.

Cronin’s priorities include support for small businesses and the vulnerable populations most impacted by COVID-19, health care and veterans’ issues. If elected to the state senate, Cronin would be the only combat veteran of the war in Afghanistan to serve in the chamber.